Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star TUESDAY, JAN. 29, 1918. GERMANY’S PEACE ATTITUDE.

Hokitika Guardian, 29 January 1918, Page 2

Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star TUESDAY, JAN. 29, 1918. GERMANY’S PEACE ATTITUDE.

The German Chancellor’s speecli in the

Reichstag on peace proposals, discloses at once that the militarist party are

still absolutely in the ascendency in German politics. Herr Hertling is at once defiant and uncompromising. This is the more noticeable, because lie credits Mr. Lloyd George with an alteration in tone, and as being no longer abusing. He is not candid enough to give tho British. Premier the credit of placing the door to peaco ajar, hut is deceiving himself with the delusion tiiat Britain is less bellicose, because, (he would have us believe from his bom liasi), of Germany’s might and power. Tho war aims of the Allies were enunciated clearly by Mr Lloyd George, and confirmed very definitely by President Wilson. The whole subject was thus at the stage when the next, if any move should come from the other side. Speaking for the Central Poyers, Herr Hertling has banged the door on the

peace overtures, and left the whole is,ue to be fought out in the battle area.

Nothing else eon ensure if he means liberally what he sqid so specifically ibout Belgium and Northern France. Germany holds military advantages at the present moment in respect to tho territories just referred to, and the

Chancellor distinctly says he i s going to use these possessions as pawns in the game for a settlement. That clear v means so far as the military situa-

tion is concerned that the war must go in, and for this great task both sides ire now preparing for what will be a

tragic spring campaign. But, as was

remarked on a previous occasion, there ire other foree s at work within the Con tral Powers, which spreading as they ire, are calculated to undermine not inly Hertling’s bombast, but the whole lower of his military force on which lie relies so confidently. In Austria, tin- Russian revolutionary virus is

spreading rapidly. Similar opposition to the war aims is making itself manifest in Germany, and the end no one can predict. Austria ha s shown a reasonable disposition to the occupied Polsli territory, in respect to which Count Czernin has publicly stated its fate shall be decided by tlie people themselves. The whole trend of Count Gzernin’s speech i s being interpreted

fiat Germany cannot rely on Austria’s aipport to attempt to the bitter end

fie prosecution of a war for straightnit conqest. While, therefore, Herr Hertling’s -speech for the movement shuts the door to peace overtures, the •(feet of the deliverance on the public niriil In tile countries affected, has' still ; .o he gauged. Peace may be sot back, 'nit it cannot be set Lack indefinitely, 'hi the contrary, a speecli so bombastic and so uncompromising may hasten the end. What ever the effect on the

'Central Power nations, the effect on -fie Allies should be heartening indeed, or it still discloses that Germany maintains that might it right, and to cor•eet that view Germany must suffer a -evere' military defeat. Thus are we back to where Air. Lloyd George told lie Labour Party a few days ago—the Allies must go on to victory, or go under.